Research plot harvester for continuous plot to plot grain evaluation

ABSTRACT

The invention relates generally to harvesters and, more particularly, to a combine for harvesting row crops, which has been modified, to collect and measure grain from continuously from a plurality of strip test plots.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to harvesters and, more particularly, toa combine for harvesting row crops, which has been modified, to collectand measure grain from two or more separate small strip test plots.

It is common in the seed industry to grow and collect data on a largenumber of test varieties to evaluate the individual varieties forpossible advancement toward commercialization. Frequently, each varietybeing evaluated is grown at a plurality of locations to collect dataunder a range of growing conditions. Among the data collected are theweight of the grain harvested from the strip test plots and the moistureof the grain at harvest. Each strip test plot typically consists of oneor several rows of a length of approximately 20 feet. Each plot or rowof plots is separated from the next row of plots by an open area whichis usually an unplanted or grassy section of land or planted with plantsthat are not the desired plants for harvest.

It is known in the prior art to modify conventional harvesters by theaddition of a weigh bucket which receives and weighs the grain collectedoff of each strip test plot, measures the moisture of a sample of thecollected grain, and then discharges the grain into a bulk reservoirwhere it is commingled with grain harvested off of other strip testplots. The data collected is typically stored in a local memory devicefor subsequent processing.

The process of measuring and collecting grain begins with theadvancement of the harvester through the strip test plot, and thenstopping the harvester at the end of the strip test plot, measuring thecollected grain and then beginning advancement into the adjacent striptest plot. The ground travel of the harvester is stopped while thethreshing and cleaning action of the harvester is continued in order toprocess the entire quantity of grain collected through the harvester fordelivery to the weigh bucket. After all of the grain collected off ofthe subject strip test plot has been processed and delivered to theweigh bucket, the harvester can then be advanced into the next striptest plot. The dwell time between strip test plots is, accordingly, afunction of how quickly the collected grain is threshed and cleaned bythe harvester and conveyed to the weigh bucket.

The prior art also includes harvesters that have the capacity to collectgrain from two separate strip tests through the use of a dual harvester,e.g. a harvester that has two separate halves. This harvester reducesthe time to complete strip plots as two strips are done at once.

One example of a dual strip plot harvester has the clean grain tankpositioned at the top of the harvester. This requires that two separateweigh buckets be positioned beside the cab of the harvester or above theclean grain reservoir so that grain will discharge directly into thereservoir after the grain has been measured. This positioning of theweigh bucket can increase substantially the already tall height of theharvester with the result that the weigh bucket must be moved from itsoperative position or totally removed to permit the harvester to complywith federal regulations for travel on the highway and to pass throughthe door of machine sheds or other equipment shelters.

Additionally, the prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,454 which showsa harvester with unconventional grain flow for collecting and measuringgrain grown on strip test plots. The conventional harvester places asingle weigh bucket for measuring grain at the grain storage location.The '454 modifies the placement of the weigh bucket by reversing thegrain flow of a lateral conveyor and locating the weigh bucket at a lowposition inside the vertical confines of the harvester. Thus reducingthe time required for moving harvested grain to the weigh bucket and thewaiting time required between harvesting of successive strip plot tests.

This single harvester saves time in speeding the weighing step but doesnot allow for more then one strip plot to be processed at a time. Thetwo dual harvesters save time by harvesting more strip plot rows to beharvested at the same time but all prior art's harvest speed was limitedby the dwell time which is dependent on the time needed for threshing,cleaning and data collection from the harvested grain in the harvester.When the dwell time was completed only then could the prior artharvester begin harvesting the adjacent plot.

However, the dual harvester like the single harvester can only harvestas quickly as the length of dwell time needed to complete the grainthreshing, cleaning and data collection of the plot. When this iscompleted then the prior art harvester could begin harvesting theadjacent plot.

The prior art has addressed the dwell time concern in U.S. Pat. No.6,848,243 entitled method and apparatus for continuously harvestinggrain from a row of mature grain plants comprised of plant segments andalley segments (plant segments are the plants in the plots and alleysegments are the border lanes between the strip plots). The U.S. Pat.No. 6,848,243 is hereby incorporated by reference into thisspecification. The invention underlying this patent is a method andapparatus for continuously harvesting the grain instead of stopping theground travel of the harvester in the border lane for dwell time. Theobject of the invention was to enhance the harvesting operation bycontinuously have the combine travel at a constant speed through thefield—thorough the strip plots and border lane without stopping in theborder lane for dwell time. Thus avoiding the stopping and starting ofthe harvester in the border lanes, but unfortunately exchanging thestarting and stopping of the travel movement for the stopping andstarting of grain moving parts of the combine. This system of stoppingor interrupting the grain moving parts of the combine is inefficient andcause unnecessary wear and tear on the harvester. In an alternativeembodiment of an invention in U.S. Pat. No. 6,848,243 teaches theaddition of a movable blocking gate that is located along the grainhandling assembly which blocks the flow of grain along the grainhandling assembly. In this embodiment, the combine continuously travelsand the grain flow is interrupted by closing a newly inserted additionalstructure onto the combine, a blocking gate. The blocking gate like thecross auger is operated by a controller that is capable of selectivelyand separately operating each of the grain moving parts. When thecontroller is activated the blocking gate is moved vertically to blockthe grain flow. The patent in the drawings locates the blocking gatebetween the cross auger and the drag chains; however, the writtendescription in column 2 at lines 34 and 35 describes the gate as beinglocated between the cross auger and the head. Regardless of the gate'slocation it is an additional piece of equipment that is not essentialfor harvesting crop. Additionally, the invention of U.S. Pat. No.5,518,454 teaches the use of two conventional separate collection binsto permit separate evaluation of the harvested grain in each rowsegment.

There remains a need for an improved continuously traveling harvesterwhich does not require the interruption of the grain moving parts northe addition of a gate that is not essential to the harvester's abilityto harvest.

Furthermore there is a need for a continuously traveling harvester thatdoes not utilize two separate bins but instead has one unit adapted tokeep the grain segregated. This unit or two separate bins can adaptedfor weighing and data collection by a single evaluation mechanism.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a harvester for collecting andmeasuring grain from strip test plots which substantially reduces theamount of time required to collect and measure grain from a plurality ofstrip test plots.

Another object of the invention is to provide a strip test plotharvester wherein the weigh buckets are positioned within the verticaland transverse confines of the harvester.

Another object of the invention is to provide a strip test plotharvester wherein a single weigh bucket can be employed and positionedwithin the vertical and transverse confines of the harvester byemploying a dual holding bin adapted to deposit one plot worth of graininto the weigh bucket than deposit the other plot worth of grain fromthe other side of the holding bin in an alternating pattern.

A further object of the invention is to provide a strip test plotharvester which continuously travels and does not stop for dwell timewherein the grain is harvested in a more efficient manner.

Yet another object of this invention is to locate sensor and controlelectronics of the grain measuring apparatus is located near the grainmeasuring apparatus whereas means for recording collected data islocated in the operator's cab.

A combine harvester adapted harvest a crop which comprises the followinga main frame; which supports a harvesting head that has a grain feedingassembly located proximate at least one cross auger and auger trough.The cross auger can be in at least two separate positions. Both a firstand second position of the cross auger is described relative to theauger trough. The present invention also has at least one threshing(which includes the feeder house), separating and cleaning assemblymounted to the main frame. This plot harvester's processing assembly isadapted to receive crop comprising straw and grain from the cross augerand extract clean grain from said crop. Once the clean grain isextracted the harvester moves the clean grain with at least one conveyorin a position to be weighed and measured. Weighing and measurement ofgrain is the primary function of a research plot harvester. To do thisthe harvester has at least one weigh bucket positioned for receiving andmeasuring clean grain and equipment for measuring and recording the datacollected concerning the grain; and a grain tank for receivingcommingled clean grain weighed by at least one weigh bucket. The presentinvention is a combine harvester with a first position of cross augerpositioned partially within the trough and a second position where theauger not positioned partially within the trough. So that when the augeris in the second position the grain feeding assembly harvests said cropand moves the crop proximate the auger trough and the crop isaccumulated in the auger trough. This allows the harvester to continueharvesting the crop without commingling any the crop material from twoplots prior to the first plot being weighed and measured. Aftercommingling is no longer an issue, at least by the time the first plotis weighed and measured, the cross auger is restored to the firstposition and the accumulated crop proximate the auger trough is fed intothe feeder house proximate the threshing assembly.

For simplicity this harvester has been described as a single plotharvester. However, dual plot harvesters are well known. The ordinarilyskilled person in the art is aware of combines that have not one but twocompartments to evenly divide the seed from separate varieties so avoidcommingling. Therefore the present invention may encompass a combineharvester with a divided cross auger and a divided auger trough adaptedto maintain two crops from being commingled.

If there is a divided cross auger which is formed as two separate crossaugers then each cross auger has one of two positions one position beingpartially within the trough, so that the crop proximate the auger troughis fed into the feeder house into the threshing assembly and a secondposition where the cross auger is not positioned partially within thetrough, and the crop proximate the auger trough accumulates.

The present combine harvester can have an embodiment with at least oneconveyor for moving clean grain is conveying the grain in a reversegrain flow path. A reverse flow path is when the grain moves to the leftof the combine when looking at the back end of the combine and facingthe direction of forward travel of said combine. The reverse flow pathdecreases the time required to complete the data collection and itavoids the overly tall combines. The data collection mechanisms arelocated on the side of the combine and not above by the commingled grainbin. So in the present invention in the reverse grain flow embodiment(where or not it is a dual plot harvester or not) the clean grain doesnot travel almost all the way to the commingled grain bin prior toweighing the material it only travels to the side then the data iscollected. This means that less time is required to fully process theharvested material and therefore there is less time spent harvesting thesucceeding plot with the auger in the nonengaged position then when thestandard grain flow path is employed.

In an embodiment of the invention the means for moving the auger betweenpositions is at least one cylinder. This cylinder, usually a pair ofcylinders would be used one at each end of the auger, can be activatedto move the cross auger when an optical eye senses a lane between saidplots, or when an optical eye senses that the there is no grain in theweigh bin or the sample bin. There is a number of differing timing orpositional or sensing devices that can be used and are know to those ofskill in the art to signal when the auger should be moved.

The present invention broadly can be described as having an improvementon continuous travel harvesters the improvement comprising a grainfeeding assembly located proximate at least one rotating cross auger andits associated auger trough, the cross auger having two rotatingpositions, a crop engaging position proximal the auger trough and a cropnonengaging position distal to the auger trough. If the length of timerequired to weigh and collect the data from clean harvested grain ismore than a couple of seconds the auger trough of the harvester head canbe adapted to retain more harvested material.

In operation the present invention is used in a method for continuouslyharvesting with a research combine, and measuring grain from one or morevarieties/hybrids of crop within plots divided by lanes where the lanesdo not include crop. The harvesting method comprising the steps of:harvesting with a harvester having grain moving parts which transport acrop into a feeding assembly. The crop is from a discrete plot of aplurality of plots divided by lanes. The feed assembly delivers cropfrom each individual plot's variety or hybrid to a cross auger which isassociated with an auger trough from there the crop material istransported to the processing assembly. The processing assembly operatesto extract the grain from the straw, and clean grain is then measuredand weighed. The harvester is traveling continuously from a harvestedplot across a lane to a succeeding discrete plot within the plurality ofresearch plots. When the harvester has moved out of one plot and into alane the cross auger is activated and moved into a crop nonengagingposition. When in this position the crop from the succeeding plot isdelivered to the auger trough but is not delivered to the processingassembly. The grain only gets moved into the processing assembly whenthe cross auger is in the crop engaging position. The movement betweenpositions is triggered or signaled when the cleaned grain from theprevious plot has been conveyed from the processing assembly into theweigh bins, therefore avoiding commingling of the grain of the firstplot crop with the succeeding plot crop. So while the harvester ismoving through the succeeding plot and possibly as soon as the harvesterreaches the lane prior to the succeeding plot the auger is in the nonengaged position until the clean grain from the previous plot ispositioned to avoid commingling with the second plot's grain prior todata collection. When the risk of commingling of grain prior to datacollection is complete then the harvester is activating the cross augerinto a crop engaging position. When the auger is repositioned intoengagement the crop accumulated within the auger trough and the cropharvested by feeding assembly from the succeeding plot can then betransported into the processing assembly. The cycle of engagement andnonengagement is repeated throughout the harvesting of the plurality ofplots. Thus the grain from the succeeding plot is removed from thestraw, and clean grain from the succeeding plot is conveyed to bemeasured and weighed separately from crop material from any other of theplurality of crops while the harvester is continuously traveling.

This method works when the harvester is a dual plot harvester or/andwhen the harvester has a reverse grain flow such that the clean grain isconveyed to the left side of the harvester when viewed from the rear ofthe harvester facing the direction of forward travel of the harvester.

The method includes a number of means for activating of the cross auger,including when this activation is automated. In the present inventionthe cross auger in the engaging position rotates and also can rotate inthe nonengaging position. Thus the grain moving parts of the harvesterare not necessarily interrupted during the continuous traveling andharvest of the plurality of the plots.

These and other objects of the invention will be understood by a personof skill in the art upon a review of the specification, associateddrawings, and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a left side view of a harvester of one embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a view of the cross auger and the feeding assembly.

FIG. 3 is a view of a plurality of plots.

FIG. 4 is a schematic of a cross auger in two positions: one positionfor engagement of crop relative to the cross auger trough and the secondposition, shown in phantom, position for engagement of crop relative tothe cross auger trough.

FIG. 5 is a schematic of the means for lifting the cross auger betweenpositions.

FIG. 6 is the side view of the feeder housing, the auger trough, and theauger in the engaged position showing the arrestors in cross section.

FIG. 7 is the side view of a dual plot harvester showing the feederhousing, the auger trough, and the split auger, one auger shown inphantom and both augers shown in the engaged position, with anotherembodiment of arrestors in cross section.

FIG. 8 is the side view of the feeder housing and the feeder drum, theauger trough, and the split auger in the engaged position, with anotherembodiment of the arrestor shown in mounted position proximate thefeeder housing and in phantom in the unmounted position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1 there is illustrated, a row crop combine harvesterwhich incorporates the present invention. The harvester 10 in thepreferred embodiment is a John Deere model 3300, although the teachingsof the invention can be applied to other harvesters as well. Seeddevelopment and production requires testing of plants, which are grownfrom seed, in the types of environments in which the plants are expectedto be grown. Research plots which are about 20 feet long are planted infields in various environments to test the plants response. The testsusually include measuring the grain yield and moisture. Othermeasurements concerning the plant health, pest and disease pressures mayalso be monitored.

The science of breeding requires that a large number of potential plantsbe tested in plots in order to locate and develop a few plants that willhave all of the necessary components to produce consistent crop yieldand moisture. The plots are small sections of fields which have shortrows and are divided one from another by borderland forming lanesbetween the plots. FIG. 3 shows a typical set of research plots 310.Each research plot is divided from the next research plot by a lane 320that usually runs substantially perpendicular to the direction of theplanted rows 330. Each research plot 310 may also be separated from aneighboring plot by columns of land 340 that run parallel to thedirection of the plant rows 330. Because of the small size of theseresearch plots, harvesters have been adapted to harvest and accuratelymeasure the small amount of grain produced by each individual varietywithin the plots 310. The adapted harvesters are called research plotharvesters 10 or research plot combines 10 (referred herein as harvesteror combines).

A research harvester 10 maybe a single-plot harvester or a splitdual-plot harvester; additionally either of these harvesters can beformed with a unconventional grain flow pathway as is taught in apending US application and as was taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,454. Inthis invention, the harvester 10 is an improved continuously travelingharvester similar to the prior art harvester taught in U.S. Pat. No.6,848,243. The U.S. Pat. No. 6,848,243 ('243) is, in its entirety,incorporated by reference herein. The harvester 10 of the presentinvention like the prior art harvester in '243 has a wheel 20 or trackmounted combine chassis or main frame 30. The main frame 30 usuallysupports a cab 40 for the operator of the harvester 10, feeder house 60,a threshing assembly 70, separating assembly 80, a grain cleaningassembly 90, a weighing and data collection system 110, and a cleangrain collection bin 110 and an engine to operate the harvester 10. Thefeeder house 60, threshing assembly 70, separating assembly 80, a graincleaning assembly 90, together are referred to as the processingassembly 95. The combine main frame 20 is also adapted to support aharvesting head 50 which is usually detachable and can be adapted foruse with a number of crops, i.e. corn head or a bean head. Theharvesting head 50 for corn includes a grain feeding assembly 15, andintake or cross auger 25.

The harvester 10 and its components are operated by a power supply 140which is usually activated and inactivated within the cab 40. The cab 40also may hold the data collection storage device 110 that records testresults gathered during the weighing and data collection part of theharvesting process. The cab may also contain any necessary hydraulic orpneumatic activation and inactivation device necessary for thisinvention.

In a standard harvester 10 there is a switch to deactivate the frontportion of the grain harvesting equipment the harvesting head 50. Theharvesting head 50 includes the grain feeding assembly 15 which seversthe corn from the stock and drags the corn cob upwardly and rearwardlytoward the cross auger 25. The cross auger 25 then moves the cobmaterial into the feeder house 60 for deliver from there into thethreshing assembly 70. In a standard harvester 10 there is also a switchto deactivate the rear portion of the grain harvesting equipment or theprocessing assembly 95. In the U.S. Pat. No. 6,848,243 a controller mustbe added to the harvester to selectively and separately operate each ofthe grain moving parts. In '243 prior art the threshing assembly, theseparating assembly, the grain cleaning assembly, the feeding assembly,the blocking gate and the cross auger all have to be able to beseparately and selectively capable of being inactivated from the powersupply. The present invention does not require this controller nor doesit require that the various grain moving parts be separatelydeactivated. A controller like that in '243 could also be employed onthe present invention but is not necessary as the present invention doesnot require the machinery to be interrupted.

The prior to the '243 invention the prior art harvester stopped in theborder lane to allow the complete processing of the grain through to theclean bin prior to entering a second plot. The stop time was the dwelltime. The improvement shown in the invention in U.S. Pat. No. 6,848,243allowed the harvester to continuously travel at a constant speed througha field of plots with intervening border lanes without stopping fordwell time. The mechanisms that avoided dwell time in the prior art '243were adapted to stop the grain from the second plot from interminglingwith the grain being processed from the first plot. More specificallywith the use of the controller either a blocking gate was insertedbetween the cross auger 25 and the feeding house 60 or the cross auger25 was stopped so it was not rotating and forcing the harvested materialinto the gate that was used to block material from entering the feedinghouse 60.

In contrast to '243, the present invention does not require thecontroller or the blocking gate nor the interruption of the power to thecross auger to eliminate the dwell time and maintain a continuous travelat approximately the same speed through out the fields contain thesesmall strip plots. The present invention simply moves the cross auger 25out of the harvested materials pathway. When the cross auger 25 is movedout of the pathway of the corn, the corn accumulates in the trough 35below the cross auger 25. While traveling through the lane 320, thegrain from the previous plot completes its processing through theprocessing assembly 95. The harvest material from the next plot isaccumulating in the cross auger's trough 35 as the cross auger 25 is notin position to rotate the grain into the feeder house 60. The feederhousing (feeder house or housing are used interchangeably) 60 in mostharvesters has a mouth 61 and a feeder drum 62 within the mouth 61 (seeFIGS. 4 and 8). The mouth 61 is centered toward the middle of the crossauger 25 and does not usually extend across the length of the crossauger 25. Without the rearward pushing movement of the cross auger 25the harvested material does not flow upwardly into the feeder house 60.A blocking gate in front or behind the feeding assembly is notnecessary, in the present invention, to stop the commingling of materialharvested in the first and second plots. The flow of the harvestedmaterial from the second plot is not commingled because the harvestedmaterial is not subjected to the force of the cross auger 25.

Some harvester heads have feeder assemblies that have more force thanothers. If the auger trough 35 of the cross auger 25 is slick or notparticularly deep then the force of the feeder assembly may force someof the harvested crop through the auger trough 35 and into the mouth 61of the feeder house 60 when the cross auger is in the nonengagedposition, in other harvesters the crop material simply does not flowinto the feeder house 60 when the cross auger 25 is not in the engagedposition. If the forces or design of the harvester is such that crop caninadvertently flow into the harvester from the harvest head when theauger is in the nonengaged position then the harvested crop from thesucceeding plot can become commingled with the crop of the prior plot.Commingling of crops from separate plots causes the measurements andcollected data to be inaccurate and effectively makes the research plotsresults useless.

To avoid any issues with commingling of the various plots' harvestedmaterial in harvesters that may have a commingling concern, croparrestors can be employed to inhibit the movement of the crop into themouth 61 of the feeder house 60 when the auger 25 is in the unengagedposition. These crop arrestors 63 are adapted to allow the crop materialto flow into the feeder house 60 when the cross auger 25 is in theengaged position and moving the harvested material but the croparrestors 63 act to inhibit the flow of the crop material when the crossauger 25 is in the nonengaged position.

There are various embodiments of crop arrestors 63. A couple ofembodiments are shown in FIGS. 6-8. FIG. 6 shows an arrestor 63 that ismounted within the trough 35. The arrestor 63 can be formed as attachedmetal strips 64, rubber strips or roughened tread like strips or smallsection of such materials. The arrestor 63 can be positioned throughoutthe entire trough 35 or can be positioned within the trough in themiddle where the feeder house 60 mouth 61 is located. Alternatively thearrestor 63 can be formed as a trough lip 66. This embodiment of thearrestor can be formed in an inverted v shape. In this embodiment theinverted v is formed to overlap the mouth 61 of the feeder house 61 whenthe harvester head is attached to the feeder house 60 of the combine.Alternatively, the arrestor 63 could also be formed as extension of thetrough 35, in other words only half of the inverted v (not shown), whichwould rest proximate to or slightly within the mount 61 of the feederhouse 60. These embodiments of the arrestor 63 all act to inhibit theflow of the harvested crop material from sliding into the mouth 61 dueto the movement of the material from the forces of crop accumulation andthe feeder assembly. In FIG. 7 this embodiment of the arrestor 63 isshown in a dual plot combine where the cross auger 25 is split ordivided into two separate sections 66. This embodiment of the arrestor63 is formed in two parts to permit crop flow when the auger 25 is inthe engaged position and to retard crop flow when the auger 25 is in theunengaged position. The cross auger 25 of the present inventioncontinues to rotate, if so desired, when the auger is moved out of thepath of the harvested material from the succeeding plot. FIGS. 4 and 5shown a schematic of the invention. FIG. 4 shows the cross auger 25 and25′ in its two positions. Cross auger 25 is in the standard positionthat is crop engaging, in contrast cross auger 25′ is in the secondposition which is not crop engaging. FIG. 5 shows a pneumatic orhydraulic cylinder 45 (one on each side of the cross auger 25; secondcylinder not shown) that is extended or retracted to move the crossauger 25 from the harvest material engaging position 55 to the unengagedposition 55′. The weigh bucket or weigh buckets 111 on the presentinvention may employ pneumatics and thus a compressor (not shown) wouldbe supported by the main frame 20. Thus an additional compressor forpneumatic lines would not be necessary for the cylinder. The pneumaticlines or hydraulic lines for connection to the cylinder would extend tothe end of the feeder house 60 and attach with quick couplers (or thelike) so that when the harvesting head 50 is attached to the main frame20 the lines attached to the cylinders on the harvesting head 50 couplewith the lines extending from the main frame and engage. This engagementproduces the necessary force for the cylinders to move the cross auger25 between the engaged 55 and unengaged positions 55′. The solid linecross auger 25 is shown as a solid line in FIG. 5 in the engagedposition 55 and a dotted line cross auger 25 when in the unengagedposition 55′.

Accordingly, the extension and retraction cycle of the hydraulic orpneumatic cylinder 45 which is mounted on the harvesting head 50 willmove the cross auger 25 between the solid line position shown in FIG. 4to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 4. Extension and retraction ofthe cylinders to pivot the auger lift bars 75 thus moving the crossauger 25 into the engaged 55 and non-engaged 55′ position is controlledby an electronic solenoid valve. Both cylinders 45 are positionedproximate one end of the cross auger 25; if a dual harvester is employedwith a split cross auger then there are four cylinders 45, two for eachend of each cross auger 25. The cylinders 45 on each end of the crossaugers 25 may be connected through a electrically actuated solenoidvalve so that the cylinders 45 act together to either engage ordisengage the cross auger from the auger trough 35.

The hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders 45 in the extension position havethe cross auger 25 in position to engage 55 the harvested material. Ifhydraulic cylinders 45 are employed then these are connected to a supplyof pressurized hydraulic fluid including reservoir and pump. Ifpneumatic cylinders 45 are employed then these are connected to acompressor to supply pressurized air. The cylinder 45 whether hydraulicor pneumatic is actuated through a retraction of the cylinder whichpositions the cross auger 25 such that it does not engage the harvestedmaterial after completing a plot and prior to entry into the next plot.While entering with the present invention into the next succeeding plotthe grain from the prior plot is still being processed through thecombine processing assembly 95 and data is collected. Additionally, thecombine with the Harvesting head 50 of the present invention isharvesting material from the second plot which is being moved upwardlyand rearwardly (relative to the forward motion of the combine) by thefeeding assembly. However, the harvested material does not flow intofeeder house 60 and therefore into the processing assembly 95 becausethe cross auger 25 is not in the cross auger trough 35 to provide theupward and rearward force need to force harvested material out of theauger trough 35 into the feeder house 60 and the threshing assembly 60.With the cross auger 25 in the unengaged position 55′ the harvestedmaterial is collected in the auger trough 35 of the vacated cross auger25. For a period of time, the cross auger 25 remains in the rotating butunengaged position 55′, while the grain feeding assembly accumulatesharvest material in auger trough 35, to avoid commingling of harvestedmaterial from the first plot with the harvested material of the secondplot.

The reentry of the cross auger 25 into the auger trough 35 through theextension of the cylinders which complete the cylinders cycle can beaccomplished in the correct time frame to avoid plot materialcommingling through a number of methods known to those skilled in theart. Some examples of how the extension cycle reentry can be triggeredare by the harvester operator or through the use of a GPS system, by asignal from the data collection device or a sensor, like an optical eye,proximate the weigh bin or the weigh bin elevator or by setting thecycle to a predetermined time period or a predetermined distance. Whentriggered the extension of the cylinder moves the lift bars and thusmoves the cross auger 25 back into engagement position 55 and completesthe retraction extension cycle.

In operation the harvester 10 picks the crop and moves this crop/grainand straw upwardly and rearwardly with the grain feeding assembly 15.“Grain”, and “straw” and are used for convenience and these terms arenot intended to be limiting. Thus “grain” refers to that part of thecrop material, which is threshed and separated, from the discardablepart of the crop material which is referred to as “straw”. Also“forward”, “rearward”, “left” and “right”, when used are determined withreference to the direction of forward travel of the combine harvester10. The terms “longitudinal” and “transverse” concerning the harvesterare determined with reference to the fore-and-aft direction of theharvester. If this is a dual plot harvester then the grain feedingassembly 15 will feed the crop into each side of a divided cross auger.If this is not a dual plot harvester the cross auger will most likelynot be divided. The cross auger 25 advances the crop into the feederhouse 60 for deliver from there into the threshing assembly 70; again ifthis is a dual plot harvester then the feeder house 60 and the remainingprocess assembly 95 will maintain the two plots in separate areas of theharvester. The crop will be threshed and the grain and straw separatedwhile the crop materials (both grain and straw) are advanced rearwardly.

Like conventional harvesters for research plots, this harvester 10 isadapted to harvest, weigh, measure and produce data from crop material.To accomplish this the present invention moves the crop/grain and strawthrough the threshing assembly 60, the separating assembly 70, and thegrain cleaning assembly 80, within the combine 10. The result of thesevarious assemblies or generally the result of the processing assembly 95is the discard of the straw and the capture of the cleaned grain.

In one embodiment of this invention the clean grain is conveyedlaterally, in one or two conveyors, in a reverse grain flow toward theleft side of the combine, when facing the forward direction of travel ofthe combine, to be simultaneously weighed and measured. In analternative embodiment, of the invention the reverse grain flow is notemployed and the grain is conveyed toward the right side of the combine.Conveyor or conveying or conveyor means encompass a number of knownmethods for transporting grain within machinery. Some nonlimitingexamples include conveyor belts, conveyor ladders, augers, slides,tracks, elevators, flightings, sliding plates, v or u shaped channelsand the like. In a third embodiment if there is a dual plot harvesterthe grain could be conveyed separately to both the left and right sideof the combine. This embodiment may then have separate weighingcomponents 111 on each side of the harvester 10. Thereafter, if thereare two portions of clean grain material it is commingled as it isconveyed to the clean grain tank 20.

The weighing components are known in the art and are available from anumber of manufacturers including Carter. One of the embodiments of thepresent invention employing the dual plot reverse flow harvester usesthe High Capacity Grain Gage, HM-2200 Twin Plot, available from JuniperSystems Incorporated located in Logan, Utah. The HM-2200 Twin Plot HighCapacity Grain Gage is adapted for moisture collection, test weight dataand plot weight on dual combines; the same manufacturer also makes asingle plot grain gage for harvesters. The weigh bin bucket 111 may besized to accommodate the entire volume of collected grain from eachresearch test plot at a level below the bottom most end point of thesample bin (not shown) so that the sample bin is free to move about itspivot point even when grain is present in the weigh bin bucket 111. Thegrain is weighed and moisture sample data is collected and the materialis conveyed and commingled in a clean grain tank. If there is a dualplot harvester there may be two weigh bins 111 or alternatively theremay be only one weigh bin and a holding bin which only dumps into theweigh bin after the previous plot's grain has been measured and the datacollected.

A cycle of the harvester 10 through a strip test plot in operation willhave an operator to advance the harvester 10 into the strip test plot toharvest the ears of corn from the stalks at the beginning of the striptest plot. In the prior art the ground travel of the harvester 10 wouldbe stopped when all of the ears of corn have been harvested off of thestrip test plot and before the harvester 10 has entered the succeedingstrip test plot. In the prior art of '243, the continuous harvesterwould not stop but operational parts of the harvester would be stoppedand a blocking gate would be lowered to prohibit grain from thesucceeding plot from commingling with the grain from the first striptest plot prior to the first strip plot's grain having been measured anddata collected. In the present invention of the continuous harvester 10,the harvester 10 would not stop nor would any operational parts of theharvester be stopped nor would a blocking gate would be lowered.Instead, the cross auger 25 would be lifted out of the cross auger'sengaged position 55 into the unengaged position 55′ and the cropmaterial would gather in the auger trough 35 until the first plot'sgrain is sufficiently segregated from the succeeding plot's grain sothat the data that is taken is accurate for each plot and there is nocommingling of the grain from the two plots until after the data fromboth has been collected. The operator, by listening to the operation ofthe harvester 10, waits until all of the harvested ears have beenhusked, shelled, cleaned, and conveyed to the holding bin 36 and then hecan reengage the cross auger 25 in the engaged position 55.Alternatively, a small video camera can be mounted on the harvester witha view of the sample bin 382 and a video screen in the operator's cab toallow the operator to monitor visually the transfer of grain from theholding bin to the weigh bin. In yet another embodiment the cross augeris moved into and/or out of the unengaged position automatically byemploying an optical eye or a timing device or GPS or thorough a numberof known methods in the art for actuating machinery. The harvester 10which has been advancing into the succeeding test plot and has had cropaccumulating in the auger trough 35 is then reengages the auger 25 sothat the grain in the well is conveyed into the processing assembly 95.

A known microprocessor can be employed to calculate the data receivedfrom the sample and or weigh bin. Electronics to complete the datagathering and analysis is well known in the art. It is preferred thatthe sensor and control electronics of the grain measuring apparatus islocated near the grain measuring apparatus whereas means for recordingcollected data is mobile like a computer or hand held device or and ifnot mobile located in the operator's cab.

Although the invention has been described with respect to a preferredembodiment thereof, it is to be also understood that it is not to be solimited since changes and modifications can be made therein which arewithin the full intended scope of this invention as defined by theappended claims.

1. A combine harvester adapted harvest a crop comprising: a main frame;a grain feeding assembly located proximate at least one cross auger andauger trough, said cross auger having a first and second positionrelative to said auger trough; at least one threshing, separating andcleaning assembly mounted to said main frame adapted to receive cropcomprising straw and grain from said cross auger and extract clean grainfrom said crop; at least one conveyor for moving clean grain; at leastone weigh bucket positioned for receiving and measuring clean grain;and, a grain tank for receiving commingled clean grain weighed by atleast one weigh bucket.
 2. A combine harvester according to claim 1wherein the first position of said cross auger, said cross auger ispositioned partially within the trough.
 3. A combine harvester accordingto claim 1 wherein the second position of said cross auger, said crossauger is not positioned partially within the trough.
 4. A combineharvester according to claim 1 wherein the grain feeding assemblyharvests said crop and moves said crop proximate the auger trough.
 5. Acombine harvester according to claim 4 wherein when the cross auger ispositioned partially within the trough, the crop proximate the augertrough is fed into feeder house proximate the threshing assembly.
 6. Acombine harvester according to claim 4 wherein when the cross auger isnot positioned partially within the trough, the crop proximate the augertrough is accumulated in the auger trough.
 7. A combine harvesteraccording to claim 1 having a divided cross auger and a divided augertrough adapted to maintain two crops from being commingled.
 8. A combineharvester according to claim 7 wherein the divided cross auger is formedas two separate cross augers and when each said cross auger ispositioned partially within the trough, the crop proximate the augertrough is fed into feeder house proximate the threshing assembly.
 9. Acombine harvester according to claim 7 wherein the divided cross augeris formed as two separate cross augers and when each said cross auger isnot positioned partially within the trough, the crop proximate the augertrough is accumulated.
 10. A combine harvester according to claim 1wherein at least one conveyor for moving clean grain is moving saidgrain in a reverse grain flow path, wherein the grain moves to the leftof the combine when looking at the back end of the combine and facingthe direction of forward travel of said combine.
 11. A combine harvesteraccording to claim 1 adapted to harvest small plots of crop separated bylanes wherein said cross auger is moved between said first and secondposition relative to said auger trough by employing at least onecylinder.
 12. A combine harvester according to claim 11 wherein saidcylinder is activated to move said cross auger when an optical eyesenses a lane between said plots.
 13. A combine harvester adaptedharvest a crop comprising: a main frame; a grain feeding assemblylocated proximate at least one rotating cross auger and its associatedauger trough, said cross auger having two rotating positions, a cropengaging position proximal said auger trough and a crop nonengagingposition distal to said auger trough; at least one threshing, separatingand cleaning assembly mounted to said main frame adapted to receive cropcomprising straw and grain from said cross auger into a feeder houseproximate the threshing assembly and extract clean grain from said crop;at least one conveyor for moving clean grain; at least one weigh bucketpositioned for receiving and measuring clean grain; and, a grain tankfor receiving commingled clean grain weighed by at least one weighbucket.
 14. A method for continuously harvesting, and measuring grainfrom one or more varieties/hybrids of crop within plots divided by laneswithout crop comprising the steps of: 1) harvesting with a harvesterhaving grain moving parts a crop into a feeding assembly of a travelingharvester said crop from a discrete plot of a plurality of plots dividedby lanes, and delivering from each individual plot's variety or hybridcrop to a cross auger and associated auger trough for delivery to aprocessing assembly wherein the grain is removed from the straw, andclean grain is conveyed to be measured and weighed; 2) travelingcontinuously across said lane to a succeeding discrete plot in saidplurality of plots; 3) activating said cross auger into a cropnonengaging position wherein the crop from the succeeding plot isdelivered to the auger trough but is not delivered to the processingassembly until cleaned grain from the previous plot has been conveyedfrom the processing assembly therefore avoiding commingling of the grainof the first plot crop with the succeeding plot crop; and 4) activatingsaid cross auger into a crop engaging position wherein the cropaccumulated within the auger trough and the crop harvested by feedingassembly from the succeeding plot are delivered to the processingassembly wherein the grain is removed from the straw, and clean grainfrom the succeeding plot is conveyed to be measured and weighedseparately from crop material from any other of the plurality of cropswhile the harvester is continuously traveling.
 15. The method accordingto claim 13 wherein the harvester is a dual plot harvester.
 16. Themethod according to claim 13 wherein the clean grain is conveyed to theleft side of the harvester when viewed from the rear of the harvesterfacing the direction of forward travel of the harvester.
 17. The methodaccording to claim 13 wherein the activating of the cross auger isautomated.
 18. The method according to claim 13 wherein the cross augerin the engaging position rotates.
 19. The method according to claim 13wherein the cross auger in the nonengaging position rotates.
 20. Themethod according to claim 13 wherein the grain moving parts of theharvester are not interrupted during the continuous traveling andharvest of the plurality of the plots.